diff --git a/test/functional/plugin/lsp/semantic_tokens_spec.lua b/test/functional/plugin/lsp/semantic_tokens_spec.lua
index 7523472cc7..92e00a8888 100644
--- a/test/functional/plugin/lsp/semantic_tokens_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/plugin/lsp/semantic_tokens_spec.lua
@@ -307,15 +307,12 @@ describe('semantic token highlighting', function()
         return vim.lsp.start({ name = 'dummy', cmd = _G.server_full.cmd })
       end)
 
+      -- ensure initial semantic token requests have been sent before feeding input
+      n.poke_eventloop()
       -- modify the buffer
       feed('o<ESC>')
 
-      local messages = exec_lua(function()
-        vim.wait(1000, function()
-          return #_G.server_full.messages >= 4
-        end)
-        return _G.server_full.messages
-      end)
+      local messages = exec_lua('return _G.server_full.messages')
       local called_full = 0
       local called_range = 0
       for _, m in ipairs(messages) do